Stellar Blade first came out on the PS5, and our review of it was positive. Combat was smooth and polished, with attractive visuals and an amazing soundtrack. The PC experience builds on those strengths, dialling up the visuals and again providing haptic feedback with the PS5 controller. The result is a thrilling combat experience whose visuals you can control for personal preference. There are also additional touches that take the game to the next level.
While I don’t have the most powerful PC, I still got to experience the game at high visual settings. Seeing EVE perfectly dodge attacks and land powerful Beta attacks didn’t push my system too hard. Even adjusting the visuals to lower settings barely dampened the quality while boosting performance. That said, my graphics card was pushed hard even on the lowest settings, making it fortunate that I met the recommended requirements.
EVE’s mission of defeating the Naytiba to reclaim Earth is exactly as it was on the PS5 in terms of story and gameplay. These remain fantastic on the PC, and the Scarlet DLC is a nice touch. What I’m focusing on is what is new to the PC version. If our review and premise of Stellar Blade didn’t interest you before, the PC release isn’t going to change your stance. But if you’ve been waiting for a version with better visual support, language features, or DLC bundled together, this is your chance!
The character visuals are stunning, and the PC version gives EVE 25 new outfits to try on. While they are all cosmetic in nature, I had fun switching costumes based on the mood or feeling. Sometimes, a slick red costume made a great contrast in a dimly lit area. Other times, I wanted EVE’s normal green outfit among a desolate, sandy landscape. Even if the outfits didn’t do anything, having an outfit for the right situation improved EVE’s appearance even more for me.
I had a PS5 controller to test with the PC version, and it almost felt like I was playing on the PS5 itself. The main difference was greater control over the graphics, adjusting based on what I felt was the optimal performance at the time. I also tested the game with a wired Xbox controller and had a great experience. It wasn’t the same as a DualSense controller, but you don’t lose much. Keyboard and mouse controls were a bit awkward, but mostly took practice, and I still had a good time.
Something that stood out was the Chinese and Japanese language settings. I often play Stellar Blade with a mix of English and Korean voice acting. Hearing the Chinese and Japanese voices, along with the proper mouth movements, was impressive. It was almost like watching a sci-fi Japanese anime. Matching the mouth movement with the words is no easy feat, and it’s great to see that option for people who prefer to listen to voice acting in other languages.
If you have been on the fence about getting Stellar Blade, now is a great time to get on board. It is a demanding game in terms of visuals, and you should ensure you meet the minimum/recommended requirements. The support given to the graphics, new outfits, and language settings is all fantastic, making this game more accessible than before. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this action game, because I’m certainly glad that I didn’t.
About the Author
Victor Tan
He/Him
Victor spends his time trying to help players out of tricky situations and give them the guidance they need to succeed. Outside of the video game world, you can find him training at the gym or doing simple improv activities.
